Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
A Memoir
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4.3 • 3.1K Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
The BELOVED STAR OF FRIENDS takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this “CANDID, DARKLY FUNNY...POIGNANT” memoir (The New York Times)
A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK by Time, Associated Press, Goodreads, USA Today, and more!
“Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty.”
So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who traveled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.
In an extraordinary story that only he could tell—and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it—Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening—as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In this heartfelt, touching memoir, actor Matthew Perry recounts his life’s most defining moments with total candor. After his parents separated when he was young, Perry found solace in making people laugh and always seeking entertainment—which often came with the occasional drink (or six). From flying solo at the age of 5 to getting in a fistfight with Justin Trudeau (yes, the future Canadian prime minister) at age 10, Perry’s turbulent childhood left him feeling like an “unaccompanied minor” well into his adulthood. We were touched as the beloved Friends actor opens up about the addiction that ravaged him at the height of his career. Perry’s knack for self-deprecating humor made us laugh even when he opens up about his darkest moments and the seemingly endless struggle he faced in and out of recovery. Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing is an inspiring story about the power of perseverance and taking sobriety one day at a time.
Customer Reviews
Matthew Perry’s book … and the big terrible thing
To read this book after Matthew Perry’s passing is to understand that he finally lost the battle that he wages in the book.
Although a huge talent and a genuinely affable guy, his story as an addict ensures any readers knowledge
that an addict is the most selfish person in the world. In later chapters he laments not committing to a relationship, or having children. I say thank god he did not engage as anyone who touched or
loved him came away fully scathed.
Post Mortem
I will be starting this book after Matthew’s “Matty’s” death. Although, I am all too familiar with addictions and the substances behind these stories, nevertheless, Matty’s story should and has been told. I look forward to updating this prelude afterward.
Saturday 10.28.2023 was a day of surprise and not a surprise. The body and mind takes years to recover. It is difficult to mentally adjust to a foreign way of living. It’s culture shock. It makes one lonely & homesick for the comfortable pleasures to take us away from all the pain of the unknown future.
My heart aches when it seems someone lost the battle. At this time though, causes have not yet been determined. Our souls, our essence may go on but the body stays behind to give its last words of advice. Matty was a compassionate and caring person. He didn’t want others to suffer as he did. We each have our own journeys, this was his. I think I will be crying a lot through this book.
Thank you Matthew Matty Perry, your life had and always will have meaning. I’m truly sorry it couldn’t have been longer. But that is selfish of me.
Rest. Rejuvenate. Peace.
Charles
When the time comes.. no one is ready.